A house may very well be your biggest investment, but it’s the people who live there that truly make it home. Naturally, we want to protect our home and our family. By following a few simple tips in and around the house you can increase the level of security for your property, valuables, identity and family.
Make sure your home is a less desirable target for intruders.
-Use outdoor lighting strategically to illuminate all entrances.
-Avoid foliage near windows and doors. If you have them there currently, keep them well
trimmed so no intruders may hide there. Thorny bushes are a good deterrent.
Avoid signaling that no one is home.
-Keep the garage door closed so that access to the house is limited, people can’t see
whether your cars are home, and no one can do an inventory of your garage possessions.
-Use a combination of timed lights and radios/TVs inside.
Arrange with a neighbor to help give the house a “lived-in” look.
-Have mail and newspapers picked up.
-Have yard maintained while you are gone.
-Remember to have garbage cans taken out and brought back inside.
Your personal safety can be assisted by changing simple behavior patterns.
-Keep all windows and doors locked.
-After someone leaves your home, check all windows and doors to ensure they are locked.
-No family members, especially children, should open a door unless you know who it is.
Install peep holes on all exterior doors.
-Do not let any service personnel in your home unless you have called them for service.
-Try to have another family member or friend at home with you if someone is coming over for a service call.
-Ask for identification and verify employment before letting service people in your home.
-Do not keep a spare key hidden outside your home.
Install a monitored alarm system.
-90 percent of police believe alarms deter burglary attempts.
-A home without a security system is two to three times more likely to be burglarized.
-A monitored alarm system can notify help in cases of burglary, fire or medical needs.
(Content courtesy of Brink’s Home Security.)
Making the Grade: Schools Have Major Impact on Home Buying Decisions
Saturday, August 28th, 2010Over the past few weeks, our family has been preparing to send my daughter off to college. For our family, it is a significant milestone on the road map of our children’s future, and a goal shared by many other Orange County families. The quality of our children’s education is important—so important that it often plays a major role in where we choose to live. That is why I would like to take this opportunity to talk about schools’ impact on the home buying decision.
Of all the local neighborhood amenities that can influence a buyer’s decision to purchase a home, proximity to good quality schools is one of the most influential. According to the 2009 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 26 percent of home buyers listed school quality and 21 percent listed proximity to schools as deciding factors in their home purchase.
If you are fortunate to live in Orange County, then you probably already know that the region boasts some of the best school districts in California and even the United States. According to the California Department of Education 2010 API rankings, Orange County’s public schools continue to outperform campuses statewide, with more than half placing among the best in California. In a May 13, 2010 Orange County Register article, County Superintendent William Habermehl noted: “These scores show Orange County has some of the best schools in the state. The county has a higher concentration of high-achieving schools than almost anywhere else.”
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage understands how important schools are to home buyers, especially those who live in Orange County. That is why we have developed several online tools to help you with your home search. On californiamoves.com, you can find detailed community relocation guides for Orange County, with academic information on the public school system, private education opportunities, universities, local childcare and more.
In addition, each property listing on OCViewOnline.com includes details about the community and local schools. All of these resources are available to help make your purchase decision easier—proof once again that Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage is moving and learning with you.
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